Apps Crashing on macOS Sonoma? Here's the Fix [Updated]

Did your app unexpectedly crash after updating to macOS Sonoma? Don't worry; it's a rare issue and can be resolved easily. In this blog, we'll explain why apps may crash on macOS Sonoma and how to fix them.

Reasons Why Apps Keep Crashing on macOS Sonoma

Various issues may arise after upgrading to macOS Sonoma, with one of the most common being app crashes. The reasons for this problem can include:

• Incompatibility with apps.
• Insufficient memory space on your Mac.
• An excessive number of background processes.
• Bugs in the applications.

Fortunately, app crashes typically don't have a significant impact on your Mac. Here are some tips to address them."

How to Fix "Apps Crashing on macOS Sonoma" Error

Now that you know the possible reasons for the app crash, let's see how to solve this problem.

1. Force Quit the App and Restart It

The easiest way to fix an app crashing or freezing is to force quit and restart it.

1. Click the Apple menu > Force Quit.
2. Find the app that keeps crashing in the list, select it, and click the Force Quit button.
3. Restart the app.

2. Update Your App

Incompatible apps will crash on startup. You should update them to a version compatible with macOS Sonoma.

For apps downloaded from the Apple Store, use the App Store to check for updates.

Apps downloaded from the Internet cannot be updated through the App Store. You need to go to its official website to see if there is a new version. If so, follow the on-screen instructions to update it. If not, you will have to wait for a new update to use it again.

3. Kill Memory-Hogging Processes

As we mentioned above, running out of memory space can also cause your app to crash. So the key is to free up your memory space.

Activity Monitor is a built-in tool for monitoring system resources in use, including CPU and memory. What you should do is use it to check which processes are using the most memory space and stop those you are not using right now.

1. Open Activity Monitor via Spotlight or Launchpad.
2. Click the Memory tab and you will see all the processes using your memory.
3. Find and select the ones you don't use, and click the Stop button to quit them.

Alternatively, you can use BuhoCleaner to free up RAM. The best part of this program is that it can show memory usage in real-time in the menu bar. Once you notice your memory usage is about to run out, click on it and clear your memory easily.

4. Clear App Cache

App cache files contain files, images, multimedia, java scripts, and other data. They are designed to speed up app loading. Even if you delete them, they can be recreated the next time you use the app.

Follow the steps below to delete unwanted app caches:

1. Open a Finder window, press Shift + Command + G to open the Go to Folder window.
2. Paste ~/Library/Caches into the search box and press Return.
3. Locate the app cache you want to remove and drag it to the Trash.

Related Article: How to Clear Cache Files on Mac

5. Delete App Preference Cache

An application's preference list file is a file with a .plist extension. Usually, it is located in ~/Library/Preferences/.

When your app is misbehaving, resetting its preference file will help the app get back to normal.

Here's how to delete an app's preference file:

1. Click the Go menu in Finder and select Library. (If you don't see the Library option, press the Option key while clicking the Go menu.)
2. Open the Preferences folder and locate the plist file of the app.
3. Right-click on the plist file and select Move to Trash.
4. Empty the Trash.

6. Uninstall and Reinstall the App

Apps still keep crashing on macOS Sonoma? Try uninstalling and reinstalling the crashed app.

The best way to uninstall an application is to use the Finder. Here's how:

1. Open Finder > Applications.
2. Drag the app you want to uninstall to your Trash.
3. Click the Go menu in Finder and select Library. (Press the Option key if you can't find the Library option.)
4. Check and remove app leftovers in the following folders.
   • Application Support
   • Caches
   • Preferences
   • Saved Application State

Feeling a little complicated and time-consuming? BuhoCleaner is always ready to help. This app uninstaller for Mac allows you to uninstall unwanted apps with one click. Plus, its Leftovers feature helps you quickly find and delete leftover files from uninstalled apps.

Here's how to uninstall an app with BuhoCleaner:

1. Download, install, and launch BuhoCleaner.
2. Click App Uninstall in the sidebar and you will find all the apps installed on your Mac.
3. Find the apps you don't want, check the boxes next to them, and click the Remove button.

   

4. To remove the remnants of the uninstalled apps, switch to Leftovers, check the files you want to remove, then click the Remove button.

7. Restart Your Mac

It's a good idea to restart your Mac often. Rebooting can solve a lot of problems with your Mac.

Just click the Apple Menu and select Restart.

Bonus: Tips to Fix App Store Crashing on macOS Sonoma 14.1.1

Some users have reported issues with the App Store crashing, particularly when using the Discovery feature, after updating to macOS 14.1.1. Below are some tips you can try to resolve the problem:

1. Check the App Store Server.
2. Clear the App Store cache. (Run open $TMPDIR../C/com.apple.appstore/ in Terminal and delete all files in the open folder.}
3. Sign out of your Apple ID and then sign back in.
4. Once the App Store opens, immediately click on any other option other than "Discover" in the sidebar.
5. Boot your Mac in Safe Mode.
6. Update your macOS to the latest version.

Conclusion

Have you successfully resolved the Mac app crashing issue on macOS Sonoma? Which method was most effective for you?

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